THE Gulf country west of Cairns, already saturated by a week of heavy rain, could be facing the season's first cyclone by tomorrow as a monsoonal low builds up steam south of Mornington Island.

The weather bureau yesterday warned residents there was a 20-40 per cent chance the low, which if it develops would be called Cyclone Charlotte, could be upgraded on Saturday.

The odds are up on Sunday with a more than 50 per cent chance it could develop into a cyclone and at this stage the bureau is unable to predict where it would cross on the Queensland Coast.

Cairns duty forecaster Leo Farrell said yesterday there was a reasonable chance it would develop and its effects could be felt across the Gulf, Cape and Tropical North Coast.

"If this does develop into a cyclone with the rainfall, high winds and high tide, it could get dangerous about the southeast of the Gulf," he said.

"There has been a lot of rain already in this area and its not going to take much more to cause trouble.

"There is also a possibility it will head across the Cape towards the eastern side but a lot depends on where the low forms and where the monsoonal trough goes."

Wild storms battering the Gulf for more than a week eased yesterday but Burketown and Doomadgee, plus remote stations, including Escott Station, west of Burketown remain cut off.

Major flooding has developed on the Nicolson River at Escott Station, hitting 10.57m yesterday and rising, as well as in the Leichhardt River at Floraville.

The Albert River, at Burketown, was also expected to be upgraded from moderate to heavy flooding last night as it continues to rise and more predicted rain falls.

Escott station caretaker Ken Dean said at this stage he wasn't ready to call a helicopter to be rescued but the homestead had been reduced to an island surrounded by rivers.

"Unless something drastic happens, I reckon we will be all right," he said.

"There is more water to come down but I will be surprised if we get totally flooded.

"The are on a high area and right now its an island about 500m wide and 3km long."

Mr Farrell said the Tropical North Coast and the Tableland could expect moderate to heavy falls heading into the weekend.

The floods have brought a couple of unwelcome visitors to the back yard of Burke Shire Mayor Annie Clarke.

Two freshwater crocodiles have set up home near the back fence of her cattle property, north of Mt Isa, to avoid to avoid a strong current in a nearby creek.

It's the first time she's seen crocodiles this close to her house.

However, she said the young reptiles, which she estimated at about 40cm, were far from frightening.

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